A Life Long Forsaken
by luna667
Summary: Just wanted to write a story and share it with others. The first reading is just a preview of what's to come. Give it a quick read and if it's not your cup of tea then it's a good thing it's not too lengthy. If you like, then keep reading. Thanks. Enjoy, comment, rate, favorite, and/or follow.
1. Sneak Peek

Aurthor's Note: Hi everyone. This is just a short little sneak peek of the story. I just wanted to see if the story is good enough to pull in readers. To those who stumble across this story, comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated. Let me know if it's any good or just a waste of my time to keep going. Thanks! :]

A Life Long Forsaken

_How do I know things are going to get better? How do I know that everything is going to be okay? I will never know these things, but it is worth a try because there are things that are worth saving. I know that it is forbidden. It is a crime, but if I can protect those I care about, then it is a chance that I am willing to take. My life here does not sum up one bit to the worth of this world and its peoples. Being gone will not be a great lost at all; for, I have not made such a big impact for the world to miss my existence. All will be and remain as if I had never existed. It doesn't matter if all those lives forget about me. As long as they are safe, losing memories of me are of no great lost. Though I am not certain that this technique will be successful, there is no time to waste. The longer I hesitate, the more lives will be lost. This is my resolve and mine alone. No council is needed._

There she stood on the clouds above her precious world. Eyes closed with her head slightly tilted downward as she breathes in the air and its wonderful aroma knowing that this will be her last. Slowly her eyes open upon the city in which she was born and raised, revealing grayish purple eyes filled with vitality that sparkled with tears that refuse to be shed. Her golden orange locks frolic in the cool breeze. Taking one last breath as she raises her head up to stare at the moon while standing proud, a sorrowful smile forms upon her rosy lips as she gradually exhales and dissipates. The sun that graciously shared its warmth and vibrant rays of light was no more this lonesome night, leaving the moon to fend for itself.


	2. Chapter 01

Disclaimer: Hello. I have no ownership of Bleach and its characters. I'll only just say it once on here. I may have some OCs pop in every now and then to say a friendly "Hi." :] This story takes place after Aizen's defeat. I sort of want my story to follow along with the anime. Enjoy!

Chapter 01: The Present Future Hidden in Dreams of the Past

By: Luna667

The beloved city had finally been restored to its proper state of being after the massive battle for power against Aizen and his puppets. The old familiar buildings were no longer in rubbles lying on the ground. The cracked pavements appeared to be seamless. The air no longer smothered with clouds of dust, ash, and fire. All remains as if nothing had happened.

Birds chirped away as the sun slowly rises from its peaceful slumber, shedding its light over the city. Rays of light make its way through peach colored curtains hung in front of a tiny window. A cool breeze glides through the slightly opened window as the curtains happily dance to its melody. A ray of light flickers across her face causing her to flinch. Just as she began to stir, "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz."

"Okay, okay. I hear you," she said drowsily. She gets up to take a sitting position on her bed as she lets out a yawn. Then leaning over toward her nightstand, she reaches for the small familiar off button on the alarm clock. She takes a longer look around her room releasing a sigh in relief. She walks over to her window to draw the curtains and smiles upon the beautiful city where she was born, the city that holds many valuable bonds of love and friendship. She opens the window bigger and leans out to soak in the warmth and smell the cool morning breeze. "Time for school."

Days passed by so quickly that she had forgotten they were no longer in the same grade. The destruction of Karakura and Aizen had drowned out all of her thoughts and worries about school. The reconstruction took longer than expected and before she even realized it, they were out of school and summer flashed on by. This year, she made a promise to become stronger than before. She would be the friend that everyone could count on be it with academics or the supernatural. She was a different girl from the previous year. Her heart had grown stronger including the bonds it holds within. Her experience with the Espadas helped her to grow in many ways she had never suspected. She was more durable than what she believed to be and even still now.

Cheerfully, Orihime begins her walk to school. Her orange hair swayed merrily. She no longer used her brother's hairpins to clip back her hair. Instead, the hairpins were clipped securely on the collar of her school uniform. The two little blue flowers sparkled as they caught the sun's light. She gently placed a hand over the pins. _See brother, everything is fine. I'll be just fine, so don't you worry about me__._

"Wow, I'm really early today," she said as she looked at her watch. She laughs at her restlessness to get to school. "Hmmm. What to do now?" She wondered as she stood still. As she started to pace along the sidewalk looking somewhat like a mad person, an idea flickered. "I know!" She said as she clasped her hands together. "Since I have time, I could go to the park before heading to school." On her way to the park, she could not help but smile all the way there. She had many fond memories there. She sat at a nearby bench and leaned back tilting her head backwards. She closed her eyes and thought of the times she and her brother visited the park. Though he was always busy with work, he tried his best to be there for her no matter what and to make sure that she was happy. Her small hands somehow found their way to the pins and tightly grasped them, as if wanting to be closer. She thought of Tatsuki and their exciting sports innovations. She sat there alone on the bench as her thoughts moved from one precious person to the next. All of a sudden, her mind's eyes rested on a pair of green eyes staring at her from the darkness.

"Morning," greeted Tatsuki. She smiled warmly. "I thought I saw a familiar face here."

"Good morning," Orihime replied.

"What are you doing out here so early?"

"Oh. I was sort of restless last night because of school. So I got up really early and then I noticed I had time to spare and made a stop here," she answered as she looked around the park.

"Is that so," she questioned with a hint of suspicion. "I'm sure there is nothing to worry about at school. It'll be the same as last year. Well I have to go to an early morning practice. If you plan to stay longer in the park, keep an eye out for weirdoes. You know you had your eyes closed and all. What am I going to do with you and your daydreams? It's not that it's wrong to have them, they just leave you wide open for attacks," she sighed.

"I guess you're right," Orihime said with a finger on her chin. She smiled as she looked at Tatsuki and replied, "That's why I have you as a friend." They both laughed together.

"Seriously though," Tatsuki said with a stern look on her face. She then looked at the time. "I got to go if I don't want to be late. Plus I have to set a good example for the others. See you at school." She placed a hand on her bag and started to jog toward the school.

"Okay. Have fun at practice!" She sat there alone again on the bench. She thought about what Tatsuki said. _She is right. I guess I should try to be a little more careful. What was I thinking about anyways before she got here? Something strange..._She tried to remember but it would not come to her.

Then she thought about the possibility of a magic oven that would bake whatever she thought of eating. The machine would run on the same wavelength as her brain and whenever she thought of a certain bread, pastry or dessert she was craving, the oven would pick up that signal. Bam! The aroma of the freshly baked item would fill up her small apartment. It would be there, in the oven ready to dine upon. Her thoughts of eating bread were disturbed by a ringing noise. She looked down at her bag and realized that her phone was ringing. She quickly looked in her bag to retrieve the device. She received a text from Tatsuki about fifteen minuets ago.

"Oh no," she exclaimed as she looked at the time. "Now I'm really going to be late."

Quickly, she got up from the bench and sprinted toward the school. Her gray skirt flapped from one side to the other. Waiting for her at the entrance stood a familiar figure. Her long black hair glistened in the sun as she stood there impatiently, arms folded, and tapping her foot. As Orihime got closer, she noticed the frown on Tatsuki's face. She took her right hand up and made a motion as if to stop Tatsuki's oncoming lecture as she made her way to the front gate.

"Wait… I… know what it…is you are going to say…" Orihime said as she hunched over with her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath from the unexpected sprint to school. She turned her head to look up at Tatsuki.

"Oh really and what is that?"

"That…" she quickly took a breath and then straightened herself to face her friend. "That I should pay attention to time so that I won't be late," she replied with a serious look on her face.

"Wrong! I would have said that if you were late but….," Tatsuki glances at her phone for a moment to check with the time. "It appears you are not late. So I won't say it this time," she said with an unyielding look in her eyes. "But I will say that you are cutting it close. Come on let's go!" She quickly grabbed Orihime's arm and dragged the still recovering girl on another race to class.

As the two girls walked down the halls, glances and whispers were heard. The two girls were nothing alike at all in both appearances and personalities. They were complete opposites, Tatsuki being on the slimmer side while Orihime is curved. In addition to that, Tatsuki is very strong willed. She has no problem telling people what it is that is on her mind. Tatsuki has always been on the lookout, making sure that bullies would not dare harm her friend, while Orihime would chatter on about any random thoughts or projects she was working on. However, this year, the orange haired girl would find herself in a strange situation. Instead of having bullies, admirers have sprung up all over the place like daisies. All of the nasty weeds had been removed from her garden and replaced with daisies. Even still, the cautious Tatsuki would be looking out for her friend. Suddenly, a boy ran up to the girls. He bowed his head.

"I'm a first year student," the boy politely said. "My name is…" He was immediately cut short of his introductions.

"Look. Do you really want to make us late on the first day of school? Maybe you can do this later but we have to get going," her dark eyes rested upon the boys lowered head as she rudely interrupted him. The girls continued to walk on and talk about nonsense, leaving the poor boy utterly embarrassed in the middle of the hall. He remained frozen for a few minuets longer. As he regained his confidence, he raised his lowered head and ran as fast as he could.

As classes began, she realized that everything did mirror that of last year. Her imagination had sparked anxiety that was uncalled for. She sat through her classes busily taking down lecture notes. Drowsiness swept its way through her body. Slowly her writing became less legible as her slim fingers gently released the pencil. Strange images flashed before her as she drifted in her sleep. She was not able to determine who or what she saw. The images continued to move with lightning speed. Suddenly, her ash colored yes rested upon an image. As soon as it became fixed, she was thrown into that strange scene. She placed a hand over her eyes for the image shined brightly in the darkness. Screams were heard from all around her and she became cautious of where she was. Orihime quickly scanned her surroundings. Anxiety slowly crept into her body as her eyes adjusted to the horror displayed before her as far as the eye can see. Crimson painted the earth beneath her feet and the sky above her. There in the sky, the bright figure remained motionless as hollows and unknown figures ruthlessly slaughtered one another.

_What's happening? Where am I? This is just a bad dream. Wake up. Please wake up!_

Overwhelmed with the chaos, panic arose within herself as she turned from one side to the next. A hollow nearby lunges toward Orhime. As she turns to face the hollow she shouts, "Santen Kesshun!" To her amazement, nothing happens. "Santen Kesshun! No! Why?" Her eyes rest upon the unstoppable attack as tears stream down her face. Suddenly, a light flashes and the attacking hollow stationary in its tracks. The girl's knees buckle beneath her as she gapes at the strange sight. The hollow was glowing brightly, but where it was struck, it looked as if it was disappearing. _What's going on?_ Then it vanished completely from sight. _Where did it go? What is this!_ The bright figure remained as it was before. In its place, a dark figure from behind moves toward her. Fear begins to fill her chest as she looked at this shadowy image. _Did you do this? Who are you?_ But she could not speak. _What is it with this strength? I didn't feel it before. I can't tell if this is real or not anymore_…_This reiatsu… feels so real and so strong… _As she sat there bent over with her hands on the bloody battlefield her body trembled from the might of this strange figure. The tips of her orange locks stained with those that had been slain this day. Shrieks echoed in the background along with clashes of metal, explosions but were unable to reach the frightened human girl. _ Ichigo… No… This isn't supposed to happen. I… I am stronger! Stand up! Stand up…. and FIGHT! _The dark figure with its emerald eyes reached out to the poor fallen girl on the ground and as it did, Orihime let out a scream.

The silent classroom was taken aback with the deadly screech. Startled students began to whisper to one another. She was surprised at her own surroundings when she finally awoke. All eyes were staring intently toward her as if expecting an immediate answer and possibly some form of punishment. Her face flushed with humiliation.

"Miss Inoue! I supposed you had yourself a nasty little dream now didn't you," the instructor asked with little compassion.

"Ye…"

"Well serves you right for dozing off in MY CLASS! You best pay attention from now on. I won't be having this again in my class. Understood!" The instructor glanced over to see that the orange head had nodded in compliance before telling the entire class to continue on with their studies. A raven haired boy with spectacles stared a bit longer at the troubled girl as the class carried on.

"Hey… Are you okay," he murmured quietly.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. It was just a silly dream," she replied calmly. "Want me to give you the details? Ok. It was," before she could expand on her fake dream, he cut her off short.

"No. It's alright as long as you are fine," he smiled politely at her. "Do you want to burrow my notes after class?"

She looked down at her own notebook and noticed the chicken scratches. She made a strange face as she looked at her own writing. "Yes, please," she answered with an apologetic face. "Thanks."

"It's not a problem."

Fortunately she was glad that he did not want any details. She was not one to lie about things. However, the contents of her real dream, she was not ready yet to share it with the others. Although it terrified her, it was still just a dream. For the entire day, she was bothered by the dream. She attended classes and pretended that nothing had happened. Even those who quietly spoke of the entire event that had captured the class's attention did not bother her at all. She had more important things to worry about, for her nightmares of Hueco Mundo have begun again, dreams in which she could never decipher its truth. She thought that for some time, she had gotten rid of such dreams; nevertheless she was very wrong indeed. The sleepless nights have finally returned at her doorsteps and paid her an early visit at school.

Author's Note:

My goal is to keep the Bleach Characters in character at all times. They are not allowed to do and/or say anything that even the creator himself, Tite Kubo, would not have them do/or say. How will I manage this task you ask? I'm PSYCHIC! XD J/K. But I will try my best to keep them in character. Deviations may occur from time to time in order to keep the story going. Thanks for reading! ]


	3. Chapter 02

AN: Takes place after Ichigo Kurosaki gets his powers back. The story does not intertwine with the anime in great detail. It rather just vaguely mentions some events that occur in the anime. Enjoy! :]

Chapter 02: The Moon's Lullaby

By: Luna667

She awoke in terror only to find herself in her dark silent bedroom. Slowly realizing that the minutes before was spent in the same horrifying slumber from the previous nights and not taking place in reality. She quickly wiped the sweat off from her forehead with the back of her hand and released an exhausted sigh. Although the room was dark, there was enough light coming through the curtains that enabled her to see the outline of her drawer, desk, chair and other furniture pieces. She sat up in bed as she lightly placed a hand over her heart. She felt the rapid beating of a heart that had just raced in an extremely competitive triathlon. She closed her eyes as she made an effort to calm herself.

In a wavering voice she told herself, "It's okay. It was only just a dream. Nothing happened. It's…not real. It's not real." She opened her eyes to look at the time. _Only twelve… just a few more hours 'til morning. Why… I don't want to go back to sleep. I don't want another dream… But I'm so tired._

Disappointed that the night was not yet over, she got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. The lights illuminated her surroundings as she flipped the switches. She peered into the mirror only to find a girl much deprived of sleep. She frowned at the image. Slightly smacking her cheeks with both hands she squished them here and there while making funny faces. But the faces didn't seem to cheer her up at all. She ran the hot water in the sink and washed away the remains of a terrifying dream. She turned off the water as she reached out for a pink towel hung on the bathroom railing. The rose pink towel was decorated with brightly colored flowers embroidered at the edge. With the towel in hand, she proceeded to pat her face dry. Before turning the light off, she took one last look at the girl in the mirror. A weak smile formed as she tried to prepare herself for what seemed to be another dreadful night.

Strands of orange hair shimmered as the girl moved from one room to the next. Her heart began to race as she made her way back to bed. Eyes intently fixed on the bed in which she would have to sleep and dream once more. As she sat on her bed, her body trembled. With all her might, she made an attempt to take in a slow and steady breath which she managed to. However, she failed to exhale slowly causing her to lose control of her body. She desperately tried to regain her composure.

_I have to sleep. My body needs to sleep, but I can't sleep peacefully. Calm down…please calm down. It's just another dream. It's the same over and over. I know what's going to happen. I know it…I've seen it so many nights. I've memorized it… But then…why…Why can't I do anything about it? I can never change anything. Everything remains the same. It's the SAME!_

She continued to sit on her bed with her feet touching the cool wooden floor. The caramel colored wooden floors were immaculate for the girl felt strongly that her apartment should be kept nice and clean. In addition to that, she never knew when visitors might drop by to say a friendly "Hi." She made sure that time be allotted to cleaning every weekend no matter how busy she may be. She moved her hands and placed them near the edge of the bed as her head sank, she clenched the sheets tightly in frustration. She closed her eyes for only what seemed to be a minute and suddenly, scenes from that nights slumber filled her mind. Instantly, she opened her eyes and for the first time, in a long time, she cried. Fear had overcome her thoughts and emotion. She felt completely powerless. She was in no way able to fight off these dreams and had little idea of where to even start if possible. Like a caged bird, there is nowhere to go. She was trapped by an invisible foe. The tears glistened in the darkness. Like a faucet that was not closed completely, her tears continued to run down her fair skin and then falling into her lap as her body quivered. She knew she could not allow herself sleep.

Suddenly, her body stopped shaking. She managed to get her self up and off of the bed. She stood motionless by the bed for quite some time. She lifted her head up revealing dull and lifeless eyes. Like a zombie, she walked aimlessly in her room. Her feet shuffled across the wooden floor boards. The frightened girl was no longer in the room. "_Ssschuuuu…_" She found herself standing at the window. She felt a soft and thin material in her hand and noticed that she was holding on to the curtain. Realizing that the noise she heard was the sound of curtains being drawn. The noise had miraculously broken the trance she was in. Confused as to why, how, and when she had gotten off the bed to be now standing at the window, she looked out the window. She gazed at the night sky. The stars twinkled and tried their best to light up the darkness. However, they did not shine as brightly as the moon.

"I didn't know it was a full moon tonight. It's beautiful," she whispered.

Captivated by its beauty, her body no longer trembled. Tranquility had washed away her frightened mind and body. She sniffled as she wiped away the last remaining traces of tears from her face. A smile ran across her face as she stared at the moon. She pushed the curtains off to one side, revealing a peaceful night sky illuminated by the moon. She got into bed while keeping her eyes on the moon. Her tired eyes slowly gave way to the gentle moon. The grayish purple eyes stared kindly at the moon before retreating back into slumber. That night, she slept in peace and dreamt of nothing.

The light rushed in and made itself at home in her bedroom. Outside the window, the world came to life. Cars honked, children laughed and noisily made their way to school while parents went to work, the birds foraged hungrily for their morning meals, bicycles whizzed by, and chime bells chimed. The room remained quiet and still.

"_Buzz, Buzz, Buzz._" "_Buzz, Buzz, Buzz._" "_Buzz, BUZZ, BUZZ…BBBUUUZZZZZZ_!"

Finally there was moment from the bed. Hills and valleys formed here and there on the beautifully hand made quilt. Vibrant patches of floral print were scattered all across the quilt. Orihime had spent hours, days, and weeks in making her very own quilt. The easy part was finding the perfect pattern. Once she had that, she spent days shopping with Tatsuki and some members of the Handicrafts Club for the right materials. Then came the measuring and cutting. She consulted with Uryuu with any confusion she had along the way and he, as always, was most gracious in lending a helping hand. When the quilt was finally completed, she beamed from ear to ear

"Argh… What's…going on," she asked as the alarm continued to buzz. Lying in bed, she turned to look at the time. "Seven thirty-eight!"

Panic burst within her and fueled her rapid movement. As she fumbled to get out of bed, the sheets twirled around her. She did not notice that the sheets were twisted around her left foot securely. She jumped out of bed reaching for the off button. Her left foot touched the nicely waxed floors first causing her to lose her balance. Her foot tugged at the sheet while the bed did the same, creating tension. Instinctively, she placed her left hand on the white wooden antique night stand to steady herself. Then her right foot came directly down on the tensed fabric causing her to topple over. The pressure she exerted onto the nightstand by her left hand caused her to fall toward the nightstand. As she fell, the left side of her head slightly caught the edge of the nightstand.

"Ah…What a way to start the day.."

She fell hard and fast but there was no time to spare. Getting up in lightning speed, she turned off the alarm clock. She had to hurry if she did not want to be late to school. She zoomed through her daily morning routines. With no time to waste, she left her apartment without being able to make lunch. She ran through the neighborhood with a piece of bread in her mouth as she tried to put her arm through her school uniform jacket. The flushed cut on her forehead strung while she ran through the cool morning air.

Catching her breath, she sat in her desk slumped over in homeroom. Students who had been conversing in the halls made their way into their homerooms and respective seats as the final bell rang. Quietly, Uryuu made himself comfortable on the left side of Orihime. The instructor, too, made his way into the room and immediately gets started with attendance. Uryuu takes note of Orihime's slumped figure with curiosity.

"Good morning Inoue-san," he said as he looked at her. "Is everything alright," he asked politely.

"Oh…good morning Ishida-kun," she replied as she continued to try to catch her breath. She propped herself up in her seat and smiled at Uryuu. "Everything's fine. I…kind of woke up late…," she replied while she automatically made her eyes turn into thin horizontal lines, eyebrows slouching downward and lips taking the number three form. Uryuu's sapphire eyes rested upon her freshly injured skin near her left temple.

"Did… you hurt yourself this morning too," he asked with concern in his voice.

"Eh eh eh…," she tried to laugh it off. She made another one of her faces with her skin flushed as she replayed the events in her head that led to that wonderful fall.

He quickly rummaged through his school bag and pulled out a band-aid. "Here, put this on for the time being," he said as he handed her the band-aid.

At that moment Tatsuki entered room and took her seat on the right side of Orihime. The homeroom instructor glanced at Tatsuki's late arrival. Recently he had been informed by the principle of the club's activities and possible tardiness of the members involved was to be waived. He did not in particular favor this waiver the principle authorized for students participating in sports. However, being a fan of karate, he gave complete support to those students. He then continued with the names yet to be called on his roster. Tatsuki's club activities do not often make her late for class but with up coming exhibitions, the karate club has been under an intensive training schedule. They were the favorites in each upcoming completion this year. Tatsuki looked over at Orihime and leaned forward in her seat to see what it was Uryuu had just handed to her best friend.

"What is that," she asked curiously.

Immediately Orihime's body tensed. She froze in her seat. "Uh..mmm."

"Come on, I wanna know what it is," she said as she reached out for the girl's shoulder and turned her around so that they were facing on another. Orihime's face darkened as she faced Tatsuki with the band-aid in plain sight. Her coffee colored eyes rested upon the band-aid in Orihime's pale fingers. She quickly looked up at the face of her friend and as she did, she caught sight of the wound.

"What happened? Did you hurt yourself? Did someone hurt you? Does it hurt still? Why didn't you take care of the wound…?" She bombarded the girl with a series of questions yet to be answered.

"…Y..You..see-"

"No wait," she exclaimed. She looked at the plain looking band-aid in her friend's hand and frowned. Quickly, she looked through her bag and pulled out another band-aid, but this one on the other was no plain Jane. "This one looks better," she said as she showed it to Orihime. "Give that one back to Uryuu," she commanded. Uryuu made a sour face as his earlier assistance was shot down. Orihime made a motion to hand over the band-aid back to the original owner.

"You should hang on to that," he said trying to maintain his cool demeanor. He looked forward, pushed his glasses up with his slender fingers and then folded his arms. "You never know when you will find yourself in need of it. I have plenty of them."

"Okay. Thank you so much Ishida-kun," she said gratefully with a smile.

"Hey look, we can sanitize the cut as well. I knew I had one of these." She showed the tiny package to the injured girl. She quickly grabbed Orihime's hand and stood up in class. "Professor, may we both be excused to the girls' washroom? It's an emergency."

"What," the instructor gaped at the two girls. Seeing that it was Tatsuki Arisawa and Orihime Inoue, the instructor answered with a nod and continued with the daily routines. Still in shock of Tatsuki's sudden action, Orihime stood motionless.

"Hey come on. Let's go." Tatsuki dragged her all the way to the girls' bathroom. She looked at the wound. "It still looks pretty fresh. Did it happen today?"

"What…Oh yeah I just got it a few minutes ago."

"How'd you get it," she asked with a hint of worry in her voice. She began to open the package that held the sanitized wipe.

"I fell and hit my head."

"Start from the beginning," she said as she took out the wipe.

"Here, I can do it myself since I did hurt myself." She laughed. Tatsuki handed her the wipe. She looked in the mirror as she began to clean the cut. "I woke up late this morning and panicked. I was in a hurry so when I got out of bed I somehow tripped and hit the nightstand. I didn't have any time to clean the wound properly before I got to school." She threw the wipe into the trash can and made a motion for the band-aid.

"I'll do this part. Hold your bangs back now will ya," she replied as she opened the package. She gently placed the band-aid over the cut. "Does it hurt?"

"Hm…yeah…It kind of stings a little."

"That's cause you didn't clean it properly when it happened," she said with a sigh. She took a closer look at her friend. "You look a little pale. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Honestly? You aren't trying to cover anything up are you? That means you didn't get a proper breakfast if you were running late this morning. Are you sure you are fine," she asked again while she handed Orihime an energy bar.

"Thanks. Yes I'm fine." She quickly peeled away the plastic wrapper and took a huge bite out of the chocolate oatmeal bar. "Ar jugh ahvnrt been leepin-"

"Hold on just one minute. Finish chewing first. In fact, finish eating first," she crackled at her.

The orange haired girl looked at her, gave her an apologetic smile before finishing the bar. She rubbed her stomach and said, "Thanks Tatsuki-chan. I really needed that."

"You were saying?"

"Oh. I just haven't been sleeping too well is all."

"That's it?"

"Yep!"

"Why is that? Is it the schoolwork along with your new job?"

"No. It's not that. I just can't sleep. I keep waking up."

"Maybe you need a new pillow or something. Hey we should get back to class don't you think?"

The girls slowly made their way back to class as they proceeded with the possibility of getting a better pillow. They both thought of different things that may help a person sleep better. Orihime was somewhat glad that she was able to conceal the real reason as to why she looked the way she did. Tatsuki had plently of other things to worry about already and she didn't want to be a burden. As homeroom ended, the girls parted with one another.

Uryuu accompanied Orihime to their next class. Classes were nothing special as usual. She took notes while she thought about past events. She had hardly had any time to think about the events that took place recently. The dreams had kept her mind occupied. She was happy for Ichigo as his powers returned but at the same time, sad. She thought that he could lead a normal life for once. That he would no longer be in any danger. His safety and well being were important to her. She was conflicted with the past events. She knew that he was crushed when his powers had disappeared, yet she was happy. Now with his shinigami powers returning, she felt somewhat sad.

_A normal life would be great._ She thought to herself as she sighed. _What would I be doing now…But then I wouldn't have met the others. My world would seem smaller. Empty almost. Yet I'm pretty sure I would have met other people…I think. But would I be able to trade these wonderful people for another set? _She wondered at that idea for a few hours.

Lunch time had arrived sooner than she had expected. She looked through her bag for her wallet which leads her to dismay as she remembered seeing the wallet on the desk in her room. She sat at her desk staring off into the distance. Just there beyond the hills were piles and piles of baked sweet yam. The smoke rose into the air and waffled here and there as if calling hungry travelers to dine upon them.

"HiiiiMeeee!" A pink haired girl dashed into the room followed by Tatsuki.

"Hello there Chizuru-chan."

"I just wanna Hu-Ouhff!" The poor girl was lying on the ground on her face as a result of a karate kick. She immediately got up from the ground and moved toward Tatsuki. "Why did you do that?!

"Hmph. I don't know what it is you think you can get away with."

"All I wanted was a simple hug."

"Sure that's what you wanted us to think. But I'm pretty sure there was something else you had in mind," Tatsuki said unconvinced of Chizuru's reply.

"Hey you two, let's not star-"

"Honest. It was just a hug," she said as she started to place a finger on her chin, "And it's been such a long year. Just wanted to greet her and her body."

Disgusted by the truth, in an instant Tatsuki leaned toward Chizuru. "SKULL BREAK!" She moved so fast that the victim and other classmates in the room were unable to witness the incredible move. Chizuru lay motionless on the ground.

"Tatsuki-chan…" Orihime began to say as she looked down at Chizuru, "Don't you think you went a little too far this time?"

"What?! That damn pervert deserved that. I can't stand the garbage that comes out of her mouth." She folded her arms and stared angrily at her helpless victim.

"Yeah…But sti-"

"That's right," she said as a pointed her finger at Orihime, "I was on my way here to invite you to lunch. I remembered you were running late to school this morning, so I figured you probably didn't get to pack lunch."

"Eh…that's right." Orihime made a sad face as she said, "I forgot my wallet too…I started to think about roasted sweet potatoes so I wouldn't feel so hungry…" "_GRrrr~_" She quickly laughed as she put her hand over her stomach.

"I guess that didn't work too well," Tatsuki laughed out. "Let's go have lunch." She motioned for the girl to hurry along.

"But…What about Chizuru-chan? We can't leave her here…"

"She'll be fine. I didn't hit her that hard….I think...," she said with a hint of doubt.

"She'd probably want to have lunch with us too. Let's bring her along. That way when she comes to her senses, she can eat with us," she said with a warm smile.

"Urgh….Come to think of it, that's why she tagged along with me. Alright…"

The girls sat underneath a tree outside and happily ate lunch. Chizuru, still unconscious, laid peacefully on the freshly cut green grass. The girls chattered about nonsense and laughed away. As they continued, a young boy walked towards the girls. Tatsuki paused upon catching sight of the approaching boy. He walked with hesitation and kept his head down as if too shy to take even one look at the girls. He stopped abruptly just beyond the edge of the tree's shadow. His nicely trimmed hazel hair was cropped to one side.

"…p..please ac..accept this…gift as a thanks…" the young boy said with much hesitation as he quickly placed the gift on the grass. He then pushed the gift toward the girls and began to speak with more hesitation, "I…In…Inoue-san…you have been…a great…," he bowed his head even lower to hide his embarrassment while he took a deep breath and made a mad dash through his speech, "A GREAT SOURCE OF MODIVATION FOR ME TO KEEP COMING TO SCHOOL EACH DAY. THANK YOU!" Suddenly, he swiftly ran in the direction that he came.

"You're welcome! KEEP DOING YOUR BEST," Orihime yelled after the boy with a smile on her face. While hearing these words, the young boy paused in the distance. He bravely looked behind him where the girls continued to sit. Seeing her beaming face along with her words of encouragement fueled his heart and then, he ran even faster than before.

"What…" Chizuru said groggily as she rubbed her eyes and looked at the dust the gutsy boy left behind. "WHAT?!" Realizing the situation, Chizuru made a fist. "How dare he make a move on MY HIME in my presence! Who is it?! What's his name?!" She looked at the girls for an answer. The two girls stared at one another and shrugged their shoulders as they both continued to eat.

"Beats me… He was probably so nervous that he failed to mention his name. That's his lost." Tatsuki stuffed some rice into her mouth and started chewing. She looked at Orihime and then the box on the grass as she said, "I wonder what it is he left you…"

Upon hearing those words, Chizuru followed Tatsuki's gaze and spotted the beautifully wrapped pink box. She suddenly crawled on all fours and pounced on the little box. "URGH!" She ripped it open like a starved lioness that had just caught her first meal. The wrapping became finely shredded pieces of paper. "Chocolates!" She gasped at the tiny package. "I love chocolates!"

"You can have them if you like," Orihime replied.

"You really mean that!?" She looked at Orihime with shiny eyes. "Hime, you brought chocolates just for me!? Oh how romantic!"

"For the love of god…you better stop with these delusions before I beat you to it," Tatsuki said with much irritation.

"Chocolates are so sweet and delicious just like you." She continued her fantasy even after Tatsuki's warning. "If I eat one of these chocolates given to me from you, it would be like having a little piece of you. If I could have a taste of you, you woul-" _"Clunck."_ Tatsuki's shoe hit her head and landed on the ground. "What the HELL?! I was just getting to the good part!"

"Just shut up!"

"Why yyoooouuu-"

"Chizuru, lunch time is almost over, so before that, it's best that you get some food inside of you. I don't want you skipping out on lunch today," Orihime said as she tried to calm the two girls down.

"Oh, Hime! You care about me so much!" Her anger disappeared just as quickly as it came. She sat down with the girls and quickly gobbled down her food. She ate happily in the presence of Orihime.

"…geeze…she seems to listen so well to you Hime…" she whispered to the princess and then laughed.

The bell chimed and its beautiful melody was heard all across campus. Students began to make their way back to class. The girls went their separate ways. The lively atmosphere had lifted a good amount of weight and dread that lingered in the girl's heart. She attended her classes and paid attention. There were no longer any distractions. She happily took notes in class with a smile on her face. From time to time, boys would glance at her dazzlingly face and could not help but feel the warmth she radiated from her body.

At the end of the day, she knew that this is a great life. The chance to be with wonderful people and having a wonderful part-time job gave her great belief that this is the right path for her. She came home to a darkened apartment.

"Ah…home at last," she chirped merrily as she turned on the lights. She quickly changed out of her work uniform as she munched on some bread her boss had given her as the day came to an end. She got the bath started as she prepped tomorrow's lunch. She thought about her wonderful friends and decided that she should bring extra for her friends as a "thanks" for today. She hummed a tune she just made up. Out of nowhere, she grabbed a notepad and pen and began to make note of the tune.

"This is going to be a huge hit," she declared as she looked at her notation. She quickly put the lunch away and cleaned the kitchen, then hopped in the bath. She stayed up a bit later, as to finish some schoolwork. Before she went to bed, she opened the curtains and gazed at the moon. The day had shed warmth into her frightened heart. However, as the day grew darker, the fear crept its way back in. She knew she would be dreaming soon and that it would not be pleasant. She stood there for quite some time before turning off the lamp and hopping in bed. As she lay in bed, she kept her eyes on the moon. Gently, the moon cradles her in its arms. Her body no longer rigid as her drowsy eyes kept watch over the moon. She did not know the reason why the moon had such an effect over her. All she knew was it kept the fear at bay. Staring at the moon brought her peace and she welcomed it with arms wide open. With her mind drifting in and out of sleep, she heard her brother's voice. She smiled in bed and hugged her blanket.

"…_The Legend of the Sun and Moon_…" he said in a crystal clear voice.

She was a little girl again getting ready for bed. Her brother smiled at her as he tucked her in.

"Nissan! I'm not ready to go to bed. I'm not one bite tired," she declared with conviction. She sat in bed with her arms crossed. He laughed at her.

"Is that so," he questioned her kindly, "Hm…then how about a story?"

"Yay," she exclaimed as she jumped out of bed. "Nissan, I love bedtime stories!"

"Yes, I know that." He stared at the window as he thought of the perfect tale. "Hm…now the problem is which one. Ah…I've got the perfect one. Are you ready to hear about _The Legen_-"

"WAIIT," she yelled out quickly, "I need you to tuck me in again." She giggled at her request and her brother chimed in.

"Such a silly girl," he said with a smile. "Ready now?" He waited for an answer as she grabbed the blanket and pulled it all the way up to her chin. She clasped her hands on the blanket and nodded. "This story is called _The Legend of the Sun and Moon_."

Author's Note:

Hello there. I realize that it has been a while since I posted last. Sorry about the long wait. I haven't been inspired lately. I heard a song and was inspired, so that's why this story is here. The song doesn't have any relation to the contents of this chapter…it just reminded me of the characters. :] Moving on, I apologize for changing the rating to "M." I realized that I can no longer keep this story "K" like I planned to originally because things are starting to and will continue to get messy… Also I realize this chapter is pretty lengthy. Hopefully it didn't bore anyone. Thanks for the support. Comments/Ratings are welcomed as always! :]


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